Do Nada: Candy Crush, Netflix & Publix as a Leadership Strategy

 

I'm a huge Larry David fan. In the 90’s, he co-created Seinfeld, and its star, Jerry Seinfeld,  was in a hit show about nothing. This week, I'm taking a page from his book and writing a leadership blog about nothing.

Society will trick us into believing that we always must be doing something. But this week, I found a song that matched my energy. “Do Nada” by Odario is a whole song dedicated to the idea that sometimes you can just...do nada. I was immediately drawn to it because the title alone felt like permission.

This week's leadership jukebox installment will not:

• Provide a framework. 

• Teach “ five things great leaders do differently when they have writer’s block

• Tell a story about something that happened at the airport that somehow taught me about psychological safety.

 
Instead, I’m going to talk to you about being comfortable doing nothing. Leaders are especially bad at this. Give us an empty hour and we'll fill it. Give us a quiet weekend and we'll catch up on something. Even rest gets turned into a strategy for being more productive later. So, I have three highly researched, evidence-based leadership recommendations.
 
Okay, I made that up. But I do have three recommendations.
 

1. Play Candy Crush. 

Not Wordle or Connections. Those require thinking. Just play Candy Crush.
Just match the candies, enjoy the little explosions and accomplish absolutely nothing.
 
And don't you dare turn pattern recognition into a leadership lesson!

 

2. Binge at Least 10 Episodes of Something on Netflix

Documentaries and Ted Talks are off the table because they’re too educational and you might accidentally try to write something down.  Instead, find something that makes Netflix ask, “Are you still watching?”
 
And you can DM me if you need recommendations.

3. Go Wander Around Publix Supermarket

If you livre in the South, you know the power of Publix. For this assignment, go when you don't need groceries. Pick up some chicken from the deli and wander the aisles because, for reasons I cannot explain, Publix has one of the best playlists in America.
 
Eventually, some R&B song you haven't heard since 1997 will come on. When it does, sing.
 
And if you don't have a Publix, find your regional equivalent. 

 

Final Thought (aka The Mic Drop Moment 🎤)

I could wrap this up with something profound about rest. I could tell you that slowing down actually increases creativity. I could probably find a research study explaining why our brains need periods of disengagement. But then this would become a blog post about something. And I specifically told you I had nothing.
 
So that's it.
 
That's this week's Leadership Jukebox. My brain said it had nothing to say. For once, I decided not to argue with it.
 
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some Candy Crush to play.
 
If you know someone who needs help doing nothing, pass this along. 
And I’ve added the song Do Nada to the Spotify playlist here
 
See you in two weeks. By then, I should have something